1. A magnetoresistive device, comprising:
a carrier;
an xMR-sensor formed on or in the carrier, the xMR-sensor based on an anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) effect, a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) effect, or a tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) effect;
a hard magnetic layer distinct from the xMR-sensor and formed above an active xMR-region of the xMR-sensor; and
an insulating layer distinct from the xMR-sensor and arranged between the xMR-sensor and the hard magnetic layer,
wherein the hard magnetic layer is configured to provide a bias magnetic field in the active xMR-region of the xMR-sensor from a position above the xMR-sensor along the easy axis of the xMR-sensor, and
wherein a vertical distance between the xMR-sensor and the hard magnetic layer is smaller than a lateral dimension of the hard magnetic layer.
2. A method for manufacturing a magnetoresistive device, the method comprising:
providing an xMR-sensor on or in a carrier; and
forming a magnetic layer distinct from the xMR-sensor and above an active xMR-region of the xMR-sensor, wherein the magnetic layer and the xMR-sensor are integrated together to form an integrated circuit type device,
wherein the magnetic layer distinct from the xMR-sensor is configured to provide a bias magnetic field in the active xMR-region of the xMR-sensor from a position above the xMR-sensor along the easy axis of the xMR-sensor.
3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:
arranging an insulating layer between the xMR-sensor and the magnetic layer, wherein the step of arranging the insulating layer is performed before forming the magnetic layer above the active xMR-region of the xMR-sensor.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein arranging the insulating layer comprises depositing a dielectric layer having a thickness between 3 and 10 \u03bcm.
5. The method of claim 3, wherein a thickness of the insulating layer defines a vertical distance between the magnetic layer and the xMR-sensor, and wherein the vertical distance is smaller than a lateral dimension of the magnetic layer.
6. The method according to claim 2, wherein forming the magnetic layer comprises electrodepositing or sputtering the hard magnetic layer having a thickness of approximately 3 \u03bcm.
7. A method for manufacturing a magnetoresistive device, the method comprising:
providing an xMR-sensor on or in a carrier based on an anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) effect, a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) effect, or a tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) effect;
forming a hard magnetic layer distinct from the xMR-sensor and above an active xMR-region of the xMR-sensor; and
arranging an insulating layer distinct from the xMR-sensor between the xMR-sensor and the hard magnetic layer,
wherein arranging the insulating layer is performed before forming the hard magnetic layer above the active xMR-region of the xMR-sensor, and
wherein the magnetic layer distinct from the xMR-sensor is configured to provide a bias magnetic field in the active xMR-region of the xMR-sensor from a position above the xMR-sensor along the easy axis of the xMR-sensor.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the hard magnetic layer, the insulating layer and the xMR-sensor are integrated together to form an integrated circuit type device.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein a thickness of the insulating layer defines a vertical distance between the hard magnetic layer and the xMR-sensor, and wherein the vertical distance is smaller than a lateral dimension of the hard magnetic layer.
10. The magnetoresistive device of claim 1, wherein the magnetic layer comprises a hard magnetic layer, and wherein a magnetization direction of the hard magnetic layer is along a direction of an easy axis of the xMR-sensor such that a bias magnetic field is generated from the hard magnetic layer in the active xMR-region of the xMR-sensor along the easy axis of the xMR- sensor.
11. The magnetoresistive device of claim 1, the hard magnetic layer having a magnetization direction along a direction of an easy axis of the xMR-sensor such that a bias magnetic field is generated from the hard magnetic layer in the active xMR-region of the xMR-sensor along the easy axis of the xMR-sensor.
12. The method of claim 2, wherein the magnetic layer comprises a hard magnetic layer, and wherein a magnetization direction of the hard magnetic layer is along a direction of an easy axis of the xMR-sensor such that a bias magnetic field is generated from the hard magnetic layer in the active xMR-region of the xMR-sensor along the easy axis of the xMR-sensor.
13. The method of claim 7, the hard magnetic layer having a magnetization direction along a direction of an easy axis of the xMR-sensor such that a bias magnetic field is generated from the hard magnetic layer in the active xMR-region of the xMR-sensor along the easy axis of the xMR-sensor.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A solar cell structure, comprising:
an n-type semiconductor layer;
an i-type semiconductor layer on the n-type semiconductor layer; and
a p-type semiconductor layer on the i-type semiconductor layer;
wherein the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer each respectively contacts a transparent conductive layer having a transparent conductive material.
2. The solar cell structure of claim 1, wherein the transparent conductive layer includes a combination of metal and at least one selected from the group consisting of oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), sulphur (S), selenium (Se), tellurium (Te) and combinations thereof.
3. The solar cell structure of claim 1, wherein the transparent conductive layer is a conductive metal oxide.
4. The solar cell structure of claim 1, wherein the transparent conductive layer includes a combination of metal and at least one non-metal selected from a Group 15 element, a Group 16 element and combinations thereof.
5. The solar cell structure of claim 1, wherein the transparent conductive layer include at least one selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide (ITO), zinc oxide (ZnO), tin dioxide (SnO2) and combinations thereof.
6. The solar cell structure of claim 1, wherein the n-type semiconductor layer, the i-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer include at least one semiconductor material selected from the group consisting of silicon (Si), copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS), cadmium telluride (CdTe) and combinations thereof.
7. The solar cell structure of claim 1, wherein the n-type semiconductor layer, the i-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer are formed of a same semiconductor material.
8. The solar cell structure of claim 1, wherein n-type semiconductor layer, the i-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer are formed of different semiconductor materials.
9. The solar cell structure of claim 1, wherein the i-type semiconductor layer directly contacts the n-type semiconductor layer,
the p-type semiconductor layer directly contacts the i-type semiconductor layer, and
the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer directly contact the respective transparent conductive layer.
10. The solar cell structure of claim 1, wherein the transparent conductive layer contacting the n-type semiconductor layer is a first transparent conductive layer, the n-type semiconductor layer being on the first transparent conductive layer, and
the transparent conductive layer contacting the p-type semiconductor layer is a second transparent conductive layer on the p-type semiconductor layer.
11. The solar cell structure of claim 10, wherein the second transparent conductive layer includes a material having a greater amount of oxidation than the first transparent conductive layer.
12. The solar cell structure of claim 11, wherein the second transparent conductive layer is formed of ZnO and the first transparent conductive layer is formed of Zn2O3.
13. The solar cell structure of claim 10, wherein the second transparent conductive layer includes a material having a different amount of oxygen than the first transparent conductive layer.
14. The solar cell structure of claim 10, wherein the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer includes a combination of metal and at least one selected from the group consisting of O, N, S, Se, Te and combinations thereof.
15. The solar cell structure of claim 10, wherein the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer includes ITO, ZnO, SnO2 or combinations thereof.
16. The solar cell structure of claim 10, wherein the n-type semiconductor layer, the i-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer includes at least one selected from the group consisting of Si, CIGS, CdTe and combinations thereof.